Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Davis, California 95617
Wednesday, May 5, 1993 16:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT DEPARTED FROM THE CONFINED AREA LANDING ZONE DOWNWIND. DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB THE HELICOPTER LOST TRANSLATIONAL LIFT. THE PILOT ADDED MORE COLLECTIVE AND INCREASED THE THROTTLE TO MAXIMUM RPM, BUT WITHOUT SUCCESS, AND THE ROTOR RPM BEGAN TO DECAY. THE HELICOPTER'S LEFT SKID CONTACTED THE TOMATO BED WHILE MOVING FORWARD AND IN A RIGHT YAWING TURN, AND THE HELICPTER ROLLED OVER. THE R-22 PILOT'S OPERATING HANBOOK STATES 'NEVER MAKE TAKE-OFFS OR LANDINGS DOWNWIND...THE RESULTING LOSS OF TRANSLATIONAL LIFT CAN CAUSE THE AIRCRAFT TO SETTLE INTO GROUND OBSTACLES.' IN ADDITION, THE MANUFACTURER ISSUED SAFETY NOTICE RSN-4 WHICH STATES, IN PART, 'POWER IS DIRECTLY PROPORTIONAL TO RPM. IF YOU RAISE THE COLLECTIVE TO STOP THE SHIP FROM SETTLING, YOU WILL PULL THE RPM DOWN EVEN LOWER AND SETTLE EVEN FASTER.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW A SAFETY TIP IN THE PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK TO NEVER MAKE A DOWNWIND TAKEOFF, HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ROTOR RPM, AND HIS IMPROPER USE OF THE HELICOPTER FLIGHT CONTROLS. A FACTOR WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE TAILWIND.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/5/1993
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1645
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City DAVIS
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95617
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1654 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 205
Weather Observation Facility ID SMF
Elevation of weather observation facility 24
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 14
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 123
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 6 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1105
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 51138
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:19PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N80156
NTSB Number LAX93LA203
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name ROBINSON
Aircraft Model R-22
Aircraft Series Identifier R-22
Aircraft Serial Number 0993
Certified Max Gross Weight 1370
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 30 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 46
Airframe Hours 1614
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TOM LAYMAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1850 BURBANK AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City SANTA ROSA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95407
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name TODD L. HUDSON
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4363 DALE ROAD
Operator City NAPA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 94558
Operator Code YYHG
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code APC
Departure City NAPA
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 430
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --